For Gold & Glory Book Review

For Gold & Glory by Todd Gould is subtitled: Charlie Wiggins and The African-American Racing Car Circuit. Born July 15, 1897, Wiggins was one of many colored race car drivers to participate in the Gold and Glory Sweepstakes during the 1920s - 1930s. During the course of the book, Gould mentions Jackie Robinson and Jesse Owens. Charlie Wiggins' name might be as renowned as those two, but Joe Ray was the first African American to break Auto Racing's color line. It was not until 1991 when the first African American qualified for the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race.

Reading For Gold & Glory, I learned that the American Automobile Association, AAA, sanctioned auto racing and the organization had strict rules barring African Americans from competing in the Indy 500. Wiggins desire to race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was just a dream. Instead his auto racing career began in 1925 at the Indianapolis State Fairgrounds. A group of men formed the Colored Speedway Association, sponsoring the first Gold and Glory Sweepstakes in 1924.

What I did not expect to find in this book was a political and social history of 1920s Indianapolis. The Ku Klux Klan was growing and most politicians belonged to the organization, especially Republicans. When a Klan member won the primary election for governor in 1924, thousands of Klan members decked out in their white hooded robes, celebrated at the Indianapolis State Fairgrounds and paraded the streets, marching through the city's black district. I also learned the KKK recorded songs such as "Daddy Stole the Last Clean Sheet and Joined the KKK".

Gould was able to interview Wiggins' widow, Roberta and his niece, Mildred when writing For Gold & Glory. Sadly, both women died before the book was published in 2002. Mildred not only shared memories of her uncle and watching races, but also shared many personal photographs. I like the way the photographs are sprinkled throughout the book, rather than a special glossy photo section somewhere in the middle of it.

For Gold & Glory is not all about Charlie Wiggins, but Wiggins was a remarkable man. The book tells the story of how he went from shining shoes at nine when his mother died to becoming an ace auto mechanic working for a white man in an era when blacks were denied such jobs. Later he became owner of his own auto repair shop; another rarity in those days ~ many of his clients were white. Roberta tells of "rocks through windows" and other harassments, yet says Charlie was not deterred by the racist attacks, just more determined to succeed at achieving his dreams.

Wiggins leg was amputated and he lost sight in one eye after a Gold and Glory Sweepstakes accident in 1936 which ended his career. He did not let that stop him from repairing cars. A one-legged mechanic? You will have to read the book to find out how he accomplished that. In addition to being a winning race car driver, he had an inventive mind.

For Gold & Glory was published by Indiana University Press of Bloomington, Indiana. The 212 page book includes Notes, an Index and Appendix: Gold & Glory Sweepstakes Participants. If you are interested in auto racing, black history or success achieved by triumphing over adversity, you will like this book.

Of personal interest to me was reading about "the Mystery Woman Driver" ~ the first female to compete in an auto race was African/American.

For purchasing information visit: http://wwwiupress.indiana.edu